


Standing Forward Bend

by nerdwegian



Series: Tumblr Prompts [4]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Tumblr Prompt, Yoga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-14
Updated: 2014-04-14
Packaged: 2018-01-19 10:09:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1465498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdwegian/pseuds/nerdwegian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I feel slightly coerced," Phil says to Maria, looking at the various people rolling out their yoga mats across the floor.</p><p>(Tumblr prompt: Meeting in a yoga class.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Standing Forward Bend

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to [chaneen](http://chaneen.livejournal.com/) for the beta.

"I feel slightly coerced," Phil says to Maria, looking at the various people rolling out their yoga mats across the floor.

"You’re more than slightly coerced," Maria says smugly, "but this’ll be good for you, Phil. Trust me."

Phil doesn’t frown at her, but only because Maria is a joyless soul-sucking vampire who draws strength from his misery. “I’m never playing poker with you or Fury again.”

Maria nudges him out onto the floor and they find a spot next to each other, near the back of the yoga class. “You keep saying that, and yet.”

"And yet," Phil agrees, rolling out the mat Maria had loaned him. "I feel stupid."

"Oh, relax, you’ll do fine. This class is for every experience level—you have nothing to worry about. I’m sure there are other beginners here, too."

"Oh yeah?" Phil challenges. "You’re a regular. Point out the people you haven’t seen before."

Maria’s lips thin and she looks away. “I don’t want to right now.”

Phil doesn’t bother responding, he just rolls his eyes, and then the instructor at the front of the room claps her hands. “All right,” she says, her voice even and pleasant as she puts her hands together in front of her chest and bows. “Namaste.”

Everyone around Phil returns the gesture, and he immediately feels sheepish. The sheepish feeling of embarrassment doesn’t go away, or even ease up. It just keeps getting worse as the instructor takes the class through an array of seemingly impossible poses.

Phil tries to sneak glances at Maria, because she’s closer than the instructor and maybe he can spot some sort of secret trick to getting his right ankle over his left thigh—but no such trick is forthcoming. Maria’s focused on her own poses, the traitor, leaving Phil to flounder alone.

It’s a small relief that at least nobody really seems to pay attention to Phil’s pitiful attempts at contorting his body. He does the best he can, and instead takes comfort in the fact that at least he can outshoot Maria any day of the week at the range.

It’s probably been close to forty-five minutes—the entire class currently standing up, bent in half, head down by their ankles—when Phil gives up and plops down on the mat. Maria doesn’t look at him, but one corner of her mouth twitches. “I hate you,” Phil stage-whispers, but he gets no response.

Phil’s just wondering if it’ll hurt his pride more to leave now, or just sit there until the class is done, when he notices the guy one row in front of him and to his right. Sharp eyes peer at him upside down from between the guy’s legs, strong fingers wrapped around his ankles. Phil can’t really see the guy’s face fully, but he’s reasonably sure the guy’s smiling at him.

Before he can really help himself, Phil’s eyes travel up to briefly take in the guy’s ass (which, hello!), before he abruptly averts his eyes, feeling like a terrible pervert.

Everyone is uncurling themselves and turning sideways, and the guy turns to the left, and Phil gets his first real good look at his face—and yeah. The guy is hot. He’s got a square jaw, a smile that does ridiculous things to Phil’s insides, and an amused glint in his eyes. Phil tentatively smiles back, and the guy’s smile grows a little.

Phil feels less creepy about watching Hot Yoga Guy after that, and Phil can feel his eyebrows climb upwards a few times. Hot Yoga Guy is ridiculously limber—and also very strong. He’s wearing a sleeveless shirt that nicely shows off his arms, and he completes every pose with ease. Phil isn’t sure he realized bodies could even bend that way.

After the class is over, the guy rolls up his mat and then walks to the door where he’s left a bundled up hoodie and a water bottle. Then he just—sort of hangs out. He stays by the door, slowly taking sips from his water bottle and not at all hiding how he keeps looking in Phil’s direction. Subtlety, thy name is not Hot Yoga Guy, Phil thinks.

Phil’s just working up the nerve to go say hi, when Maria thwaps him on the arm. “I cannot fucking believe you, Phil.”

Phil stops and puts on his best poker face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

"Don’t even," Maria warns, narrowing her eyes. "You’re ridiculously transparent right now. Both of you."

"You’re the one who made me come to yoga," Phil says.

"Not to flirt with guys," Maria hisses.

Phil gives her his blandest smile. “The guy’s probably not even gay,” he says, shrugging. “I’ll just go say hi. Make a new friend, you know?”

Maria hiss-whispers something else at him, but Phil’s already walked away, leaving her to roll up both their mats.

Hot Yoga Guy smiles when he sees Phil approaching, and Phil returns the smile, his confidence growing.

"Hi," Hot Yoga Guy says. "First time here?"

"Pretty obvious, right?" Phil says. "I’m Phil."

Hot Yoga Guy sticks out his hand. “Clint.” His grip is strong and his hand is warm, and Phil has butterflies in his stomach like a teenager.

"So what did you think of the class?" Clint asks. "Think you’re gonna stick with it?"

Phil shifts a little. “Maybe.”

Clint blatantly looks Phil up and down, which Phil isn’t entirely used to. It makes him feel both embarrassed and almost giddy with happiness. “I think you should,” Clint says. “Yoga’s good for you.”

Phil chuckles. “That’s what my friend tries to tell me.”

*

Later, when Phil’s inside Clint and Clint’s got his ankles wrapped behind Phil’s neck and Phil thinks he might actually pass out from the most awesome sex ever, he nods and says against Clint’s lips, “Yeah, yoga’s okay I guess.”

End.


End file.
